Warning Against The Enticement of Sinners

Proverbs 1:8–19
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Hearing a father’s instruction and cleaving to a mother’s law are the things that make a young person’s life beautiful (vv. 8-9). Throughout the Bible you will find that obedience to parents runs parallel to being in subjection to God. Ephesians 6:1 where it says,"Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right” is an example of this admonition. There is a similar passage in Colossians 3:20 that says, “Children obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” On the other hand disobedience to parents is one of the warnings of the last days in II Timothy 3:1-5.

Now we find a solemn warning against having evil companions. The world is full of evil men who will seek to lure their potential victims from the path of honor and virtue (vv. 10-13). Nothing will please them more than to get someone to make their money available to them (v.14). We must realize that the way of sinners is attractive (vv. 10, 14), but it  leads to destruction (vv. 15-19).  “For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose  his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

The only safe course is to stay away from them. If you start to walk with them you will soon  be running with them. “Come out  from among them, and be ye separate,” is the command of the Lord.

Application

“Honor your father and mother” doesn’t have a time limit. It has been said that God’s commandment applies to the nursing infant and continues to the nursing home. In other words parenting never stops. While I was giving advice to my children, my parents were still giving advice to me. Lord, help me to be the kind of parent who lives close enough to you that the advice I give echoes your thoughts and not just my thoughts.